The University of Arkansas at Hope-Texarkana recently received a golf cart donated by Georgia-Pacific. Knowing the golf cart was in need of minor repairs, UAHT Industrial Maintenance Instructor Scott Bittle saw an opportunity for his students to attain real world work experience. Mr. Bittle enlisted the help of his Mechanical Devices and Basic Lathe Operations classes to repair the vehicle.

“The cart’s brake pedal linkage support pivot brackets were broken, rendering the vehicle unusable,” said Bittle. The Mechanical Devices class diagnosed and disassembled the broken parts. The Basic Lathe Operations class laid out a design for new brackets and built them from recycled billet aluminum materials using various machining processes. The Mechanical Devices class then reassembled the brake pedal linkage with the new parts. Bittle stated, “Now the cart works as good as new.”

“This is just one example of how our programs provide students with real-life job experience in the classroom,” said Mr. Bittle. UofA Hope-Texarkana offers 20 different degrees and certificates in the technical and industrial field. These degrees and certificates prepare students for quality, high paying jobs. To learn more about these and other degrees and certificates offered at UAHT, call 870-777-5722 or visit www.uacch.edu today.